study abroad in

France
UPDATED for 2018
Contents
Introduction 3
Higher education in France 4
Admission requirements, applications & visas 7
Tuition fees & living costs 11
Funding opportunities 14
Student cities 15
Working in France after graduation 18
 Introduction
Perhaps you’re motivated by the thought of starting your day with a visit
to the local boulangerie, or taking your books to a Parisian café once
frequented by Europe’s greatest artists and philosophers? Maybe you’re
dreaming of weekends on the Mediterranean coast, skiing in the Alps, or
visiting vineyards and touring châteaux? Is it the famous fashion scene
you’re fascinated by, or perhaps La Défense, Europe’s largest purpose-built
business district? Or maybe you’re up for the challenge of exploring your
Maybe you’re way through the country’s 7,000 museums and 40,000 historic landmarks?

dreaming of Whatever your reasons for wanting to spend time in France (and there
weekends on the are many more), you’re certainly not alone. The world’s most-visited
international tourist destination, France welcomed some 82.6 million
Mediterranean coast,
visitors in 2016 (compared to 75.6 million international visitors each to
skiing in the Alps, or the US and Spain).
visiting vineyards and
In addition, almost 310,000 international students are to be found in
touring châteaux? France each year – making the most of the country’s high-quality yet low-cost
education, immersion in a language which is both belle and internationally
utile, proximity to leading French businesses and international corporations,
and of course the enduring appeal of mastering the French art de vivre.

If you’re keen to join their numbers, read on for information about the
French higher education system and how to apply, plus advice about
funding, visas, employment prospects and more.

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Higher education
in France
France has an impressive 35 representatives in the QS World University
Rankings® 2019, of which 11 are within the global top 300. The nation’s
two leading universities, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University
(PSL) and Ecole Polytechnique, both make the world’s top 100, ranked
50th and 65th respectively and cementing their reputations as two of
Europe’s and the world’s leading institutions.
The nation’s two
In addition to around 250 grandes écoles (see below), France’s 83 public
universities provide courses in a comprehensive range of subjects, leading universities,
catering for around 80 percent of tertiary-level students. France also Université PSL and
offers a selection of highly respected art and architecture schools, as
Ecole Polytechnique,
well as colleges specializing in fields including fashion, film, hospitality,
journalism, performing arts and social work.
both make the
world’s top 100
Many of France’s higher education providers are organized into clusters,
known as PRES (short for pôles de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur),
which bring together universities, research institutes and specialized
schools. Members of each PRES share resources and collaborate on
research and course provision, with degrees sometimes conferred by the
overall PRES, rather than a single institution.

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 In line with the Bologna Process, French universities offer three levels
of degree: the licence (completed in three years), the master (requiring
While most
an additional two years) and the doctorate (usually an additional three
undergraduate years). Master’s degrees are classified as either ‘research’ (designed for
programs are taught those intending to progress to a doctorate) or ‘professional’ (for those
in French, the intending to enter the workplace).

country offers a large Recent years have seen a move towards greater inclusion of internships
selection of English- within courses, in response to demand for more practical skills and
professional experience. According to government agency Campus
taught courses at
France, around 30 percent of all students now complete an internship as
postgraduate level part of their studies, and this is closer to 60 percent among those studying
specialized master’s programs.

France’s grandes écoles

One of the most distinctive elements of French higher education

is the system of “grandes écoles”. These elite institutions, which
may be either public or private, are typically characterized by a
relatively small intake of students, highly competitive admissions,
and specialization in a single subject area (most often business
or engineering). They also have a reputation for educating a high
proportion of the country’s leading politicians, civil servants,
business leaders and researchers.

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While most undergraduate programs are taught in French, the country
offers a large selection of English-taught courses at postgraduate level.
Campus France offers a searchable online database of English-taught
programs. However, you’ll still need a basic knowledge of French to
help you integrate with French lifestyle and culture while studying in the
country. Your university will probably have language courses available
which you can take alongside your main studies.

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 Admission
requirements,
applications & visas
The application process and visa requirements to study in France will
depend on whether you come from a country in the EU, or from further
elsewhere in the world. Students from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and
The application Liechtenstein are treated the same as EU students.
process and visa
Applicants from the EU:
requirements to
study in France will • You will not need a visa

depend on whether • If you want to start in the first year of a program and you hold a French
you come from a baccalaureate, you must use the online application system used by

country in the EU, French students, which is known as Parcours Sup. If you want to enter
the system a little further on, you may apply directly to the institution
or from further
at which you want to study.
elsewhere in the
• If you have a high-school qualification other than the French
world
baccalaureate, you should get in touch with the institutions you want
to apply to. They may request that you apply directly to them, rather
than through the centralized Parcours Sup system.

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• Grandes écoles and grands établissements have their own application
procedures, so it’s advisable to get in touch directly to find out
what is required. You can apply to preparatory classes and to some
establishments through APB if you want to enter in the first year.

• If your course is in French, as is likely, you will need to prove you are
sufficiently fluent. You can do this by taking an exam such as the TCF
DAP (Test de Connaissance du Français, Demande d’Admission Préalable),
DALF (diplôme approfondi de langue française) or CEFR (Common
Grandes écoles
European Framework of Reference for Languages). Similarly, you’ll
need to prove you can speak English if that is the language of tuition.
and grands
It’s advisable to check with the university to see which language test établissements have
scores are accepted or preferred. their own application
procedures, so it’s
Applicants from outside the EU:
advisable to get in
• The application procedure will vary depending on whether or not
touch directly to
you’re from one of the 41 countries in which Campus France runs the
’Studying in France’ platform. If you are from one of these countries find out what it is
(listed on the Campus France website), then you are obliged to use required
the CEF online application system. This guides you through the entire
application process, including obtaining a visa, how to apply and which
documents you require. You can create your personal profile in the
CEF system through the Campus France website. If you want to study
a PhD, you’re not affected by the ‘Studying in France’ procedure and
should contact your prospective institution directly for information on
how to apply.

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 • If you’re not from one of these countries, you will need to submit a
preliminary application (known as the ‘DAP procedure’) at your local
French embassy before applying to one or more French universities.
You should do this ideally in November in the year proceeding the
academic year in which you want to study in France. The exact
process will depend on your previous qualifications and where you
are located. Contact the French institution(s) you’re interested in for
Once accepted by a guidance on the correct procedure to follow.

French institution, • Once accepted by a French institution, you’ll need to apply for a visa,
you’ll need to apply which also includes a residence permit, called the VLS-TS. This is valid
for a year at a time. In order to obtain this visa you’ll need to present
for a visa, which also
a completed application form, passport photos, your passport, proof
includes a residence of your previous qualifications, a police certificate attesting to your
permit, called the lack of a serious criminal record, and proof you can speak French to
VLS-TS. This is valid an appropriate level if your course is taught in French. Applicants are
also asked to show they have sufficient financial resources – around
for a year at a time
€615 (US$750) per month, the equivalent of a base-rate monthly
governmental scholarship. Finally, you will also need to prove that
you’ve been accepted to study at a French university.

• Three months after your arrival in France, you’ll need to have your
student long-stay visa validated by the French Office of Immigration
and Integration (OFFI) who will give you a sticker to put in your
passport.

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All students can apply for art programs via the CampusArt platform
(www.campusart.org), which includes around 100 institutes offering
programs in courses such as fine art, design, music and architecture at all
study levels. However, it doesn’t replace the ‘Study in France’ procedure if Three months after
you’re from one of the 41 countries where this applies. After you’ve been your arrival in France,
accepted, you’ll need to confirm your enrollment with your chosen French
you’ll need to have
institution before classes start. You’ll then receive a certificate of school
attendance and a student card to confirm your legal status as a student. your student long-
stay visa validated

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Tuition fees &
living costs
The benefits enjoyed by those who study in France include relatively low
tuition fees at public universities for both domestic and international
students, which have not increased for three years.
The benefits
In 2017-18, annual tuition fees for most courses at public universities are:
enjoyed by those
• Bachelor’s degree: €184 (~US$225) who study in France
• Master’s degree: €256 (~US$315)
include relatively
• Doctorate degree: €391 (~US$480)
low tuition fees at
There are exceptions; for example engineering schools charge €610 public universities
(~US$745) per year.
for both domestic
It should be noted that universities in France tend to levy additional and international
administrative charges, which are known to bring the price up
students, which have
considerably. That said, the final figure is still likely to be far lower than
not increased for
you would pay in a comparable destination.
three years
You will pay more to study in France’s highly selective grandes écoles and
grands établissements (great schools and establishments), which set their
own fees.

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 Some of these operate only at postgraduate level, and some – like Ecole
Normale Supérieure, Paris – require students to have completed either
two years of preparatory school (which is nearly as selective as the
grande école itself) or to transfer across after two or more years of an
undergraduate course. In general, private universities in France charge
between €3,000-10,000 (~US$2,660-8,880) per year.

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Living costs

As you may expect, living costs are higher in Paris than elsewhere in France.
Campus France recommends a monthly budget of €1,000 (~US$890) for
students in Paris, and €800 (~US$710) for those outside the capital. Even
so, the relatively low tuition fees go a long way towards offsetting higher
living expenses even in the capital – this overall affordability is one of the
factors underlying Paris’ consistent position in the top five of the QS Best
Students from
Student Cities index.
within the EEA and
You’ll probably spend at least €300 (~US$370) a month on food, with a
Switzerland are
meal in a restaurant universitaire (university restaurant) likely to cost
around €3.25. A liter of milk is typically around €1.20, a baguette €1 and
free to pursue work
a coffee €2. alongside their
Accommodation will cost around €200-300 (~US$245-370) a month, with
studies without
student accommodation being the cheapest option. any restrictions

Students from within the EEA and Switzerland are free to pursue work
alongside their studies without any restrictions. Those from other
countries can work up to 964 hours per year (equivalent to 60 percent of a
full working year), as part of the permissions granted with the VLS-TS visa
and residency permit. Internships completed as part of a study program
are not counted within this.

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 Funding opportunities
A good source for finding scholarships is Campus Bourses
(http://campusbourses.campusfrance.org/fria/bourse/#/catalog), run by
Campus France, a search tool which allows you to narrow down the re-
Doctoral students
sults by nationality, subject and study level to find scholarships to suit you.
can also apply for
Talented international students may be able to obtain funding via the
a contrat doctoral, Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program. This provides an allowance of
which means they €1,181 (~US$1,050) per month for 12-36 months at master’s level, and
€1400 (~US$1,240) per month for up to 10 months at PhD level. Other
legally become an funding options available to international students include grants via the
employee of the EU’s Erasmus program, awards from individual universities and funding
provided via regional councils, usually in partnership with public research
university, receiving agencies such as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).
a regular salary in
Doctoral students can also apply for a contrat doctoral, which means they
return for research legally become an employee of the university, receiving a regular salary
and teaching work in return for research and teaching work. These contracts are for three
years, with a nationally set minimum salary of at least €1,685 (~US$2,060)
per month.

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Student cities
Paris

You will, no doubt, already have your own set of ideas about Paris, which
remains one of the world’s most popular places to visit. The Paris region
welcomed more than 45.9 million tourists in 2016 – including more than
16 million international travelers to the city – reflecting the appeal of
iconic sights such as the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower; world-famous
galleries such as the Louvre; and the general ambiance, culture and
cuisine Paris is famed for. You will, no doubt,
Of course, to truly get to know Paris you need to spend time living there, already have your
intermingling with the people who make the city what it is. If student life
in Paris appeals to you, there’s no shortage of great universities to choose
own set of ideas
from, including 17 public institutions (with varying specializations) and about Paris, which
several prestigious grandes écoles. As a result, the city has a large and
remains one of the
diverse student community, which goes a long way to guaranteeing the
continued vibrancy of its long-established intellectual and creative culture. world’s most popular
places to visit
Lyon

A picturesque medieval city (though its history goes back even further
than this), Lyon is situated close to France’s borders with Switzerland and
Italy. It is known for being one of the culinary capitals of France, and is
close to the French Alps, making it a good location for those who like to
hit the piste.

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 Lyon’s well-preserved architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage
Site status, but there’s more to France’s joint second city (there’s some
debate over whether Marseille or Lyon can claim this title) than spectacular
architecture. Its many higher education institutions give it a large student
population, and, consequently, the vibrant nightlife commonly found in
all student hubs. If it’s more civilized cultural pursuits you’re after, Lyon
doesn’t disappoint on that front either, while those who have one eye
on their future career may be interested to hear it’s one of France’s main
financial centers.
A historic city
situated not too far Toulouse
from France’s south-
A historic city situated not too far from France’s south-western borders
western borders with with Andorra and Spain, Toulouse is known in the modern age as one of
Andorra and Spain, the capitals of the European aerospace industry. Its universities are also
historic, with the original institution that’s now divided into three parts
Toulouse is known in – Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, Université Toulouse II Le Mirail and
the modern age as Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier – having been founded in the 13th
century.
one of the capitals
Toulouse has a large student population, and is known for being a hotbed
of the European of alternative culture, alongside more traditional cultural outlets in the
aerospace industry form of opera, theater and immaculately preserved architecture. And if
you want to get out of the city, then the South of France is your oyster,
with the proximity of the Pyrenees allowing skiers to get their fix.

Montpellier

Another major student community is found in Montpellier. Around a

quarter of the city’s population consists of attendees of its universities,
two of which are featured in the QS World University Rankings 2019,

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including the Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III, which lays claim to
being the seventh oldest in the world.

Montpellier’s location near France’s Mediterranean coast makes it a good

option for sun-worshippers, though it also means you’ll have to brace
yourself for a mass influx of tourists in the summer months. The benefit,
of course, is that in the off-season you can enjoy almost exclusive access Montpellier’s location
to the beaches, and plenty of opportunities to explore some of the more near France’s
well-hidden pleasures that the South of France has to offer.
Mediterranean
Lille coast makes it a
In former times, the northern city of Lille was one of the main industrial good option for
centers of France, which meant an inevitable period of decline as the world sun-worshippers,
entered the post-industrial age. However, in recent years the picturesque
city has undergone something of a renaissance and is now considered though it also means
by many to be one of France’s lesser-known treasures, with a vibrant you’ll have to brace
cultural scene and a strong commercial backbone. Lille is also a relatively
affordable city for students, with rent around 50 percent lower than in
yourself for a mass
Paris, according to Numbeo. influx of tourists in
One of the main advantages of being based in Lille is the ease of traveling the summer months
to explore other parts of France, and much of northern Europe. You can,
in fact, catch an express train directly from Lille to the world’s two most
popular tourist cities, Paris and London, or to Brussels, which can serve
as a gateway to the Netherlands or Germany. If you’ve got the travel bug,
Lille could be for you.

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Working in France
after graduation
Having weathered the global financial crisis of 2008 relatively well, France
eluded the recession of 2012-13 seen in many Eurozone countries. Though
overall growth has been slow to pick up, and unemployment levels remain
stubbornly high, the country nonetheless offers plenty of opportunities
for ambitious graduates seeking work.

Services account for almost 80 percent of national GDP, with major In order to stay on
industries including tourism, electronics, textiles, chemicals, machinery, and work in France
automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft and food processing. High-demand roles
after graduating,
include IT professionals such as programmers and analysts, high-level
engineers, and healthcare workers. non-EU students will
need to apply for a
In order to stay on and work in France after graduating, non-EU students
will need to apply for a change of residency status; this can be done via change of residency
the local prefecture once an offer of employment has been received and status
accepted. Your offer of employment must have a salary of at least one and
a half times the minimum wage (currently €2,220 (~US$2,715)).

Alternatively, international students can seek permission to extend their

student residence permits for up to a year. During this time they can

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continue to work under the same conditions as when they were students
(meaning a maximum of 964 hours per year/20 hours per week) without
applying for a change of status, unless their earnings exceed 150 percent
of the minimum wage (€9.76 per hour as of 2017); if this is the case
they must apply for full-time employment status. Indian students with
a master’s degree or higher can stay up to two years with an extended
residence permit. If you’re from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you can stay
in France to look for employment for as long as you like after graduation.
You can find graduate job opportunities on websites such as Pôle Emploi
(Employment Centre, www.pole-emploi.fr) and APEC (the Association Pour
l’Emploi des Cadres, www.apec.fr).

Want to find out more about studying abroad in

France? Get advice from the TopUniversities team and
international students in our online forums.

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